This invention relates to thrust bearings, and, more specifically, to thrust bearings employed in applications wherein the bearing components are subject to cocking or wobbling loads as well as thrust loads as, for example, in a slant axis rotary mechanism.
In certain types of mechanisms employing thrust bearings, such as slant axis rotary mechanisms, there is very little room available in which to separate journal bearings for one rotary element a sufficient distance so as to preclude a significant amount of wobble of the journalled element within the bearing clearances. Because, in such mechanisms, loading of the journalled element produces wobble or cocking loads as well as thrust loads, the journalled element will wobble and/or cock with the consequence that detrimental edge loading of the thrust bearings employed will occur. In actuality, clearances between the elements comprising the thrust bearing will approach zero at one point and will be so wide at a point spaced therefrom that the oil film required to prevent wear between the parts will be so thick as to be unable to carry a high load. As a result, the load carrying capacity of a given thrust bearing is substantially diminished, necessitating the use of unnecessarily large bearings to provide the desired capacity.